The University of Arkansas At Pine Bluff women's and men's basketball teams return to the road for a Saturday afternoon SWAC doubleheader at Southern.

The women's game will tip at 3 p.m., with the men's game around 5:30 p.m. The UAPB Sports Network broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. with Lions Roar Pregame on 99.3 FM The Beat in Pine Bluff, online at uapblionsroar.com, and on the free UAPB Athletics App.

It's the first road trip in three weeks for both Golden Lion teams, who will look to get back on the winning track. The UAPB women (4-17 overall, 3-8 SWAC) nearly erased an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit Monday night, clawing back to within one on two occasions but losing 68-65 to Alabama St. Tyler Pyburn scored a career-high 19 points, Trasity Totten scored 18 off the bench, and Kyeonia Harris added 12.

This will be the second meeting of the season against defending champion Southern (10-12, 8-3), which defeated UAPB 70-43 back on Jan. 18 in the H.O. Clemmons Arena. 

"We like to defend. We like to force the other team to turn the ball over," said UAPB women's head basketball coach Dawn Brown. "Allowing them to only committed 13 turnovers..that's not who we are. We want to force other teams to turn the ball over. We just didn't get in sync."

This past Monday night, Southern led late in the fourth quarter, before losing at first-place Jackson St. 60-57. Brittany Rose (10.3 pts) leads the Jaguars in scoring. Southern ranks 8th in the SWAC in scoring (60.1 ppg), 7th in FG% (37.5), 2nd in 3-pt FG% (30.0), 5th in FT% (63.7) and 8th in rebounds (32.5). Defensively, the Jaguars are 1st in ppg allowed (60.9), 7th in FG% (37.5), and 2nd in 3-pt FG% (30.0).

"Execution," said Brown of the keys to success this weekend. "We have to go out and do what we know how to do offensively and defensively. You don't deviate from the scouting report of what it is we're supposed to be doing. Just because it doesn't work one time doesn't mean you try to create opportunities for yourself. We still need to stay in the flow and the system of things. That's going to be key."

On the men's side, UAPB held its opponent below 60 points for the fourth straight game but came up short Monday night against Alabama St., 57-49. Dequan Morris led the Golden Lions with 13 points, and K'Shun Stokes came off the bench to post career highs in points (nine) and rebounds (seven).

Southern (9-15, 6-5) has been streaky in league play. The Jaguars lost their first three SWAC games before winning six in a row, but have now lost back to games, including Monday's 67-51 contest at Jackson St.
 
"We have to go on and play really good defense," said UAPB head coach George Ivory. "It we go in and play defense, and make some free throws, we'll have a great chance to come back with some victories. Southern is a team that likes to push the ball. Teams have been getting back on them defensively, and that's something we've worked on this week."
 
Ashante Shivers leads SU in scoring (9.2 ppg), and Darius Williams in rebounds (6.1 rpg). Southern ranks 5th in the SWAC in scoring (67.9 ppg), 3rd in FG% (43.3), 2nd in 3-pt FG% (32.6), and 6th in both FT% (67.4) and rebounds (33.8). Defensively, the Jaguars are 5th in ppg allowed (70.5), 7th in FG% (45.6), and 3rd in 3-pt FG% (32.1).
 
"We've played pretty well on the road," Ivory said. "We've been in some hostile places…We just have to play tough, be physical, rebound the basketball, and play as one."
 

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